Children’s Class Rules

Fabiano's Class Rules

At Fabiano’s Karate, we teach children the importance of respect, discipline, and responsibility. Therefore, we have constructed a set of rules for all students to follow. These rules provide structure for students to learn and help ensure a more organized class.

All students are asked to take care of bathroom breaks and drinks prior to class beginning. We encourage all students to get to class between 10 and 15 minutes early, and to use that time to prepare for class and ask for help.

Students must be in class for more than ¾ of the time to receive credit; therefore students who are more than 10 minutes late will not receive credit for class. Students who leave with more than 10 minutes in the remainder of class will also not receive credit. This is to ensure fairness for students who are in class for the entire duration.

If a student misbehaves in class, that student may be sat out of class resulting in no credit for class.

To show respect to their teachers, we require all students to say “Yes/No Sir” or “Yes/No Ma’am” when asked a question or requested to do something in class.

As part of their responsibility, we require students to know how to tie their belt when testing for their Yellow Solid belt (9th KYU). Students who cannot tie their belt at this point will not be allowed to test.

Uniforms are a big responsibility and we do have some guidelines:

Uniforms must be clean. When in front of instructors, it is very disrespectful to have a dirty uniform. Girls must wear a white t-shirt under their Gi. Boys may wear a white t-shirt under their Gi.

Make sure feet are clean and nails are trimmed. We are trying to promote good hygiene and reduce the chance of infection or disease.

No jewelry. We do not want anyone to get injured during class. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged jewelry. Please do not bring it to class.

Students are to pay attention to the instructor at all times and only talk when it is his/her turn. If a student has a question, they should raise their hand to ask their question.

To ensure the safety of all students, there is no horseplay before, during, or after class.

No bad language, insulting words, cursing, or negativity is allowed at any time. We want this to be a positive environment for everyone to enjoy.

No giving up. “I can’t” is a phrase that should not be used in the dojo. Try your best! We do not expect anyone to do something perfectly, but we expect you to put forth your absolute best effort.

No gum, candy, food, or drinks are allowed in class.

Attendance Cards are to be turned in by the student only. We encourage parents to remind the student to turn in the card, but parents should not turn in the card for the student. If a student forgets to turn in his/her card they will not receive credit for that class.

Dojo Etiquette

For the Students:

Before Class: Practice! Work on anything that you are having trouble with and be sure to ask for help if you need it. Instructors will be here and would be glad to help you out.

Bowing: This is an important part of showing respect for the dojo, instructors, and higher ranks. Students shall bow in and out of every room they enter or exit.

Attention: Remain quiet and focused during class. Don’t fidget, turn around, or look away from an instructor. To show that you are listening, look directly into the eyes of the person who is talking, whether it is a senior student or an instructor. If you need to yawn, cough, sneeze, or fix your uniform; turn around to the back of class. This shows respect for your instructor and fellow students.

Physical Discomfort or Injuries: If you have an injury, please do not push yourself beyond what you are capable of. If you feel that you will injure yourself further by doing an exercise, please tell an instructor right away and do not continue the exercise. “Pushing yourself” is definitely a show of good motivation, but doing so to a point of injury or discomfort is not healthy or effective.

Class Participation: Since everything we do is a team effort, it is important to count along with the rest of the class. Instructors like to hear loud and clear counting from the entire class and you should be a part of it. This is not shows that you are listening and paying attention, but it is shows respect for your peers who are following the directions.

Kiai (Spirit Yell): The Kiai is an important aspect of Karate. We try to motivate you to be the best that you can be. One of the ways that we can tell if you are trying your best is through the demonstration of power and focus while performing your Kiai.

Respect the Higher Ranks: Rank is about responsibility, not about privileges. As you gain more experience and move up the ranks, consider it your duty to be a role-model for those that follow. It rests upon you to show others the way. Show proper etiquette and work ethic if you expect others to do the same.

Asking Questions: It is very important to ask questions. If you are not sure how to do something, and you don’t ask, it is not possible for you to improve yourself. We want everyone to get past their shyness and ask questions. This is what the instructors are here for. Always remember, “There is no such thing as a dumb question.”

Receiving Answers: Listen and learn from your mistakes. If an instructor or senior student corrects you, listen to them. Do not argue with anyone, especially with an instructor. Arguing is not respectful and does not help you to succeed.

After Class: Ask questions! Instructors stick around a few minutes after class. If you need help with anything, please ask, and an instructor will gladly help. Students may not exit the building without their parent present.

For the Parents and Family:

Pickup/Drop-off: We encourage parents to drop their children off 10-15 minutes before class and pick them up promptly (no later than 10 minutes) after class. Parents wishing to stay for class are more than welcome.

Remaining Quiet: Parents and siblings observing class should remain quiet during instruction. Please keep (your other) children quiet, and refrain from answering your cell phone during class. Cell phones should be turned off or set to vibrate prior to class starting. If you must answer your phone, we ask that you take the phone conversation outside the building where class cannot be disturbed. If you would like to talk with other parents, please do so at a whisper level or after class. Disrupting class with noise is both disrespectful to the instructors and the students trying to learn.

Sideline Coaching: As with any sport, parents are asked to not to yell to their children or coach from the “sidelines.” Instructors are here to help your children with the exercises and activities that we do. We ask that you please refrain from coaching your children during class. If you need to make us aware of something, please get a hold of an instructor who will gladly assist you.

Billing Information: Please remember that for all auto-pay (or Electronic Funds Transfer) accounts, 15 day written notice is required to do any of the following: Change of Bank Account, Freeze/Hold Payment, Update Bank Information (name on bank account, address, etc.), Account Termination, etc. Please note that you must come into the karate school and fill out a specific paper for the change you want to do. If a form is not filled out at least 15 days prior to the payment drafting date, no refund will be given.